Please help me understand the process for getting a ct scan and the results. does a child have to undergo anestesia? how long does it take to get results? how often does a patient need to wait between scans?

A : A ct scan can be as quick as a couple of seconds or as long as several minutes. Depending on the child's age, and the type of scan ordered by your doctor sedation may be required. When sedation is required it is usually done to minimize your child from moving. Like taking a blurry photograph, motion obscures fine detail in the ct images and can hinder interpretation of the scan. If you are unsure if sedation will be needed call ahead to the radiology department and ask about what to expect for your particular scan. The results should be available, at most institutions, later that day, or if the scan is done in the afternoon, the next morning. Typically you can obtain the results by calling the doctor's office that ordered the scan, or by contacting the radiology file room. Ask the technologist who does the scan the best way to get the results at that particular place.

The : The answer to your question depends on the imaging study to be performed on the child and the available equipment. For most instances a ct scan on a child does not require anesthesia. This is particularly so if the ct scanner has multiple detectors (called a multidetector ct) because the scan is typically done very fast. You may also review the following link regarding ct scan in pediatric patients, provided by the american college of radiology: http://www.Radiologyinfo.Org/en/info.Cfm?Pg=pedia-ct.

Depends on child: Frequently an older child can undergo a ct scan without anesthesia. Smaller children might need sedation or anesthesia in order to remain still for the procedure. The scan is very short, less than 10 minutes usually, and then the radiologist has to read the results. This takes longer. Ct scans do subject the patient to a lot of radiation, so they should not be used as a routine screening device.